[JWLANKY]

Ive just been down to my local dealer (Bond Street Saab Leicester) to have a look at the New SportsWagon. First impressions are that it looks complete (whereas the X-type estate looks like and after thought). I didnt like the frosted rear light clusters in real life, looked kinda cheap - maybe they look better illuminated? The new 18 alloys look nice and fill the arches pretty well (at last!).
The model options will be :
Linear
Linear Sport
Vector
Vector Sport
Aero.

The 210bhp Aero will cost £25495.00 OTR and the 2.8V6 jobby will cost £27795.00 so it carries a £2300 premium (treading on the toes of the Hirsch upgrade?)

 

[Aero_adam]

That seems pretty good value for the Aero (210 bhp) model. Maybe that will be the next Aero on the drive when change time comes round.

Did it look a useful size (bikes etc in the back like a volvo estate) or are we taliking a "lifestyle choice" sort of car?

 

[JWLANKY]

We're talking lifestyle, not 'V70' space here. But i'm sure the car will lure back some of the old school who preferred the practicality of the hatch. Apparently ther are still toying about with configurations i.e. the playstation steering wheel, silver trim above the glove box frosted light may not make it into the final model, and i didnt personally like the body coloured door handles (well not on a parchment coloured car).
I noticed that the 2.8V6 will be in the 35% tax bracket for emissions, so i dont think you'll see that many around on the UK roads.
Oh, and they also had a a 252 Hirsch 93 saloon in their - someone really needs to have a word with Saab/Hirsch about the alloy they offering as an upgrade they really do look Cr*p, honestly they look out of date and dont even suit the car IMHO!

 

[gcbrink]

Anyone have pics of the 18" wheels?

 

[JWLANKY]

Anyone have pics of the 18" wheels?

Yep. Right here ... http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48338

 

[AeroSwede]

Yep. Right here ... http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48338

Those are not the ones that will come as an option from the factory, I asked if they were available but apparently they hadn´t been tested yet so I had to go with the ones you see on this car;

http://www.saab.com/main/image/modelsection_flash/mediagallery/large/93_WAGON_ext_12.jpg

Perhaps not too bad

 

[AeroSwede]

Ive just been down to my local dealer (Bond Street Saab Leicester) to have a look at the New SportsWagon. First impressions are that it looks complete (whereas the X-type estate looks like and after thought). I didnt like the frosted rear light clusters in real life, looked kinda cheap - maybe they look better illuminated? The new 18 alloys look nice and fill the arches pretty well (at last!).
The model options will be :
Linear
Linear Sport
Vector
Vector Sport
Aero.

The 210bhp Aero will cost £25495.00 OTR and the 2.8V6 jobby will cost £27795.00 so it carries a £2300 premium (treading on the toes of the Hirsch upgrade?)

In Sweden the 210 bhp version is the Vector and the Aero only comes with the 250 bhp V6, I heard that some european countries will get a 230 bhp version of the V6 as well (for whatever reason...)

 

[JWLANKY]

Bingo! (as we say in England) you seem to have a full house of all the 9-3's available:lol:!
I do prefer the 18"ers you have had, they (obviously) reflect the image of of a Turbo. The sales guy i spoke to did say they were still toy'ing with the final configuration of the car, and just to note that the model in the shworoom was sporting a dual exhaust and was'nt the V6 car, so maybe the base (210) Aero will get it too!.
I personally think that all 9-3s should have at least 18" alloys to fill the quite LARGE arches that they seem to have developed, and make the car seem more complete and give a better 'road presence'.

 

[AeroSwede]

The Aero version in Sweden comes with 17" 5-spoke standard, I paid an extra 5.000SEK, approx £350 for the 18" 10-spoke

A picture of the 17";

http://www.saabsverige.com/main/image/modelsection_flash/mediagallery/large/1.jpg

and the 18";

http://www.saabsverige.com/main/image/modelsection_flash/mediagallery/large/93_WAGON_ext_7.jpg

B Rgrds,

Fredrik

Ps. By the way, all the Aeros in the showrooms currently have a 2.0t engine installed, only the 250 bhp version will have dual exhausts though. Ds.

 

[Vector-SS]

AeroSwede,

You have the new 2.8T V6?

 

[AeroSwede]

AeroSwede,

You have the new 2.8T V6?

Actually...not yet:roll: , I have ordered it, paid for it, and the car will be delivered in september. I can´t wait for this car to arrive. I have driven the V6 at a test, and Oh My God, Saab definitely did the right thing using this engine.
FYI I chose between this Saab, a BMW 330 and an Audi A4 3,2 and I chose the Saab because of value for money and pure grunt.
If you can, get it, you won´t be disappointed! The boot is also a lot bigger than I thougt it would be, which really helped me in my negotiations with my wife

 

[AeroSwede]

Actually...not yet:roll: , I have ordered it, paid for it, and the car will be delivered in september. I can´t wait for this car to arrive. I have driven the V6 at a test, and Oh My God, Saab definitely did the right thing using this engine.
FYI I chose between this Saab, a BMW 330 and an Audi A4 3,2 and I chose the Saab because of value for money and pure grunt.
If you can, get it, you won´t be disappointed! The boot is also a lot bigger than I thougt it would be, which really helped me in my negotiations with my wife

Reading this today makes me realize I should have stopped drinking a litle earlier than I did, talk about over-enthustiastic

 

[Rob in Atlanta]

I personally think that all 9-3s should have at least 18" alloys to fill the quite LARGE arches that they seem to have developed, and make the car seem more complete and give a better 'road presence'.

I like the 18"'s better than the 17"'s on the pics that AeroSwede posted. However, I think that a range of wheels - from 16"'s to 18"'s should be offered. Some people live in places with bad roads and 18"'s would be susceptible to road damage.

 

[AeroSwede]

I like the 18"'s better than the 17"'s on the pics that AeroSwede posted. However, I think that a range of wheels - from 16"'s to 18"'s should be offered. Some people live in places with bad roads and 18"'s would be susceptible to road damage.

Totally agree on the 18".
However, on the Aero version 17" is minimum because of the bigger breaks.